henry d Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 My sister lives near Newcastle in a small rural town and has a tree, she doesn`t know what kind, that pulled the wires from the telephone pole as the upper branches are in between. The nice BT man said that they would make repairs 3 times before they would charge and my sis doesn`t want the hassle or cost obviously. All I am after is can I fell the tree without any consequences ?? or would it be better to just lop/trim the upper branches ?? I have felled quite a few trees, but only in woods and feel confident to trim/fell it if it is legal to do so. Many thanks to all relevant replies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob300w Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 (edited) I was under the impression that all trees over a certain size had a preservation order on them? Maybe someone can correct me if this is wrong? Obviously they can be felled if they are dangerous. I am surprised that the telephone company has not trimmed the tree to avoid a repetition of the damage, maybe you should contact their maintenance department and point the problem out to them? All trees that may contact telephone or power cables in this area are trimmed back annually. I would not cut it back yourself, you may get a letter telling you that your chainsaw licence has been revoked! Edited March 18, 2008 by bob300w Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dusk2dawn Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 My sister lives near Newcastle in a small rural town and has a tree, she doesn`t know what kind, that pulled the wires from the telephone pole as the upper branches are in between. The nice BT man said that they would make repairs 3 times before they would charge and my sis doesn`t want the hassle or cost obviously. All I am after is can I fell the tree without any consequences ?? or would it be better to just lop/trim the upper branches ?? I have felled quite a few trees, but only in woods and feel confident to trim/fell it if it is legal to do so. Many thanks to all relevant replies I would just confirm it was not in any way protected and /or in a conservation area, if neither then crack on and do the job. D2D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BSA Shaun Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 Is the tree on your sisters land? I would lop the branches that are causing the problem and top the tree so that it only grows outwards rather than upwards in the future Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunkield Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 We have huge trees along the road from us that block our light in the morning. When they were touching the power cable I rang the electric people and they chopped all the barnches away that were anywhere near the trees. They said it is better to do that then get called out for power cuts, which makes sense. Maybe you could see the 'prevention is better than cure' angle to BT? I have cut many tress down, some quite scary ones too - if you take it on, the best advice I could give you is get a rope on what you are cutting down and 'pull' it down if see what I mean. Get some strain on it in the direction YOU want to fall, and then cut it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry d Posted March 18, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 As I say it is just a little taller than the pole and the engineer says they do not trim/fell for telephone cables, though the power companies do for their cables. Yes it is on my sisters ground. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BSA Shaun Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 (edited) Then I suggest my above option, a trim and then top it. However if you do wish to fell then, you will need to cut a felling notch. Your felling notch doesn't want to be any more that 1/5 of the trunk girth and when you make the back cut MAKE SURE that you do not cut all the way through, you need about 1/10 of the trunk as a hinge. That way you have control over the direction of the fall Start your back cut about an inch to 2 inches above the centre of the felling notch. And get a rope around it to ease it along the way Take a look here: http://www.stihl.co.uk/pdf/chainsaw.pdf (pages 18 and 19) Edited March 18, 2008 by BSA Shaun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunkield Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 Well we did 4 big tress all bang next to a garage a few weeks ago. Rope on the towhook of a Disco and as high on up on the tree as possible, and then cut the back of the tree whilst diving slowly away. All fell prefectly, no garage roofs died in this instance. If you can't do that, some volunteers from the audience on the rope, but that would depend on the size of the tree - and the volunteers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry d Posted March 18, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 Take a look here: http://www.stihl.co.uk/pdf/chainsaw.pdf (pages 18 and 19) Yeah it`s the first thing I read when I got my Jonsered manual Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry d Posted March 18, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 Another thing I forgot to say was, what about doing a short pollard @ 5-6 feet ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 if the area isn't a conservation area then you're fine to do it yourself. But BT will charge you if you make a miss hap and disconnect the phone line. I did one for a friend of my mums and it was something like £120 to re-connect it if I had a misshap but it was also £120 to disconnect it and put it back after the tree was down so we took the gamble. Mine was a 50ft leylandii growing between 2 houses with the phone line in the middle. Fortunately I had a mate who was able to bring a 7.5t cherry picker back from work so we took it down in bits and the phone line survived. In your case if a straight fell is an option just do it with a rope and make sure you have a good hinge left on the felling cut and you're pretty much guaranteed to have it go the right way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 Another thing I forgot to say was, what about doing a short pollard @ 5-6 feet ? depending on the tree it may still kill it, but it means if you fell it from that height it won't fall as far Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunkield Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 Lets see a picture of the tree. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BSA Shaun Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 Yeah Stuart P wants wood Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob300w Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 (edited) Personally, I would put a ladder against the pole, lash the top of the ladder to the pole, wear a safety harness, take the tree down a few feet at a time, rather than one hit. Tie a rope to the sections that you are cutting off, have a vehicle or body on the other end to ensure that it falls away from yourself and the wires/pole. Once you have cut to a level below the wires, you can do it in one. The whole thing really is dependant on the size of the tree and how much higher than the wires that it is. A bit of thought and a bit of care should make it safe and simple. Just don't forget, when you make your cuts, that the one without any branches is the pole! Edit; The problem with a pollard is that you will have to do the job again eventually! If a pollard improves the look of the garen then do it. Edited March 18, 2008 by bob300w Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunkield Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 Good advice. The difference between pro's and the rest of us is the amount of time we would take. Take it nice and easy and it should be fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 It is reasonable advice but as soon as you go up ladders etc the job gets more dangerous. If you can do a simple straight fell that is far less dangerous and far simpler Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry d Posted March 18, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 I should be getting a pic of how it is ATM, this evening and will post it, and as far as size is concerned it is not a giant redwood !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baldrick Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 Henry, the size of a tree has no bearing on whether it is covered by a Tree Preservation Order. TPO information is open to the public, so I would advise that you check with your local authority if there is a TPO present. It's unlikely in this scenario. Is the tree within your sister's boundary? If so, any landowner can fell up to 20m3 of timber per year, without needing a felling licence. If the tree is not on her property, it may be under Highways jurisdiction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BSA Shaun Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 Baldrick, Yes it is on my sisters ground. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob300w Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 Henry, the size of a tree has no bearing on whether it is covered by a Tree Preservation Order. TPO information is open to the public, so I would advise that you check with your local authority if there is a TPO present. It's unlikely in this scenario. Is the tree within your sister's boundary? If so, any landowner can fell up to 20m3 of timber per year, without needing a felling licence. If the tree is not on her property, it may be under Highways jurisdiction. Is this applicable under both English and Scottish (should that be Scots?) law? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baldrick Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 Sod it, that's only under English/Welsh law. I am being particularly thick today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sussexboy Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 His sister lives in the environs of Newcastle. They may speak funny (sorry boss) but they are still under English law. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dustyfox Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 Being a chainsaw operator with the Forestry commission, you should make sure with BT if its alrite to cut the tree down as your not alloewed to really cut down trees within two tree lengths of the cable. So if its near a cable do not straight fell it as if it goes over their cable your in big trouble. Phone up the local council to make sure their is no tree preservation order (TPO) on it. If their is your going to have to apply to trim it. If you are going to use a ladder put the ladder against the main trunk and tie it to the tree with rope. And get a harness To me, you should get someone qualified to do it as it is dangerous and if anything goes wrong they should have insurence. As BT may have to turn the cable off. If so I dont think their gonna let you do it yourself unless qualified to do so. If you got an NPTC Chainsaw certificate they may allow you. DF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 Henry please tell us this tree isn't just 12 feet high and of sapling proportions Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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